Printer&#39;s proof press



Dec. 6, 1960 Filed Nov. 28, 1955 F. BARNEY PRINTERS PROOF PRESS 5Sheets-Sheet 1 mm W5 BL uhan;

(\Yfornq Dec. 6, 1960 F. BARNEY PRINTERS PROOF PRESS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed Nov. 28, 1955 o w NU O G O M\ o U Q a m Dec. 6, 1960 F. BARNEYPRINTERS PROOF PRESS 5 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Nov. 28, 1955 E0 om & w Y Z3 8 e 0 Y en zo |v lq m m fl Ynuwfor FrecmqnBomneg I B?) llmndmdm2,962,963 PRINTERS PROOF PRESS Filed Nov. 28, 1955, Ser. No. 549,247 sClaims. (Cl.101284) This invention relates to a printers proof presswhich is for the purpose of printing proof sheets from type in smallnumbers, usually to determine the accuracy of the type set up before itis used to print copies in large numbers. I

The press comprises generally a frame on which is mounted a reciprocalbed which carries the type and a cylinder to which the paper is gripped.The cylinder and bed are geared together so that rotation of thecylinder causes reciprocation of the bed at the same peripheral speed ofthe bed.

The cylinder has two positions in one of which it is raised above thetype on the bed and does not cause a printing impression of the typeagainst the paper. The movement of the cylinder and bed with thecylinder raised is usually used to ink the type.

The other position of the cylinder is the impression position in whichthe cylinder is lowered so that it will press the paper against the typeand make the print as the cylinder is rotated and the bed reciprocated.The rotation of the cylinder is usually made by a hand crank fixed tothe cylinder shaft.

For simplicity in this description the movements of the cylinder and bedwith the cylinder raised out of printing position will be called the OEstroke and the movements of these parts with the cylinder lowered toimpression position will be called the on stroke.

The objects of this invention are to provide novel means for quickly andautomatically changing the position of the cylinder from off to on atthe beginning of each respective stroke and to provide means for raisingthe cylinder to off position at any part of the on stroke. In thismachine the cylinder is tripped to on position at the beginning of theon stroke but it is often desirable, in order to correct errors, to liftthe cylinder to off position at some part of the on stroke. This is doneby simply pressing a foot pedal which actuates mechanism to hold thecylinder in oif position until the bed has been moved to the end of itsoft stroke and commences its on stroke whereat the cylinder isautomatically tripped to on position.

The details of the machine embodying the invention are hereafter morefully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings inwhich,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the proof press embodying the invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig.1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2,r

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the bed at the 2,962,963 PatentedDec. 6, 1960 end of its on stroke and ready to commence its ofi stroke,1

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view showing the bed at the end of its offstroke and ready to commence its on stroke.

Like numbers refer to like parts in all of the figures.

The machine has a frame 1 which is preferably provided with feet 2 whichrest on a floor. The lower part'of the frame may have recesses orcupboards 3 to receive paper or other articles for the convenience ofthe operator. The frame has various longitudinal and cross members allindicated by the numeral 1.

A longitudinally reciprocal bed 4 is mounted above the frame and haslongitudinaltracks 5 on its under side. Corresponding tracks 6 are onthe upper side of the frame 1 and roller bearings 7 are interposedbetween the two sets of tracks 5 and 6 thus providing longitudinalbearings for reciprocal movement of the bed.

The printing or impression cylinder 8 has the respective ends of itsshaft 9 journaled in bearings 10 which are vertically slidable in guides11 attached at their lower ends to the frame 1 and extending upwardlytherefrom. A crank 12 is attached to one end of the cylinder shaft 9 bywhich the cylinder 8 can be manually rotated in either direction.

Below the cylinder 8 is an eccentric shaft 13 which extends transverselyacross the frame and has its respective ends journaled in the sidemembers thereof. An eccentric 14 is fixed to each end of the shaft 13and each eccentric is surrounded by a sleeve 15. Each sleeve 15 isconnected by a link 16 to the respective bearing 10 above it. Rotationof the eccentric shaft by means hereafter described, will raise or lowerthe cylinder 8 to on or off position relative to the type 17 located onthe bed 4.

One side of the bed 4 has attached to it a rack 18 having teeth on itsupper edge and the corresponding end of the cylinder 8 has a gear 19whose teeth mesh with those of the rack 18. The pitch diameter of thegear 19 is the same as that of the diameter of the cylinder 8 so thatrotation of the cylinder causes reciprocation of the bed 4 at the samespeed as the periphery of the cylinder. The lower edge of the rack 18runs in a groove 20 in the frame 1 and guides the bed against transversemovement.

Directly above the eccentric shaft 13 a stub shaft 21 is fixed to theframe 1 and projects inwardly therefrom. The hub 22 of a gear 23 isjournaled on the stub shaft and meshes with a gear 24 fixed to theeccentric shaft 13. Oscillation of the gear 23 causes like oscillationof the gear 24 and shaft 13 in the opposite direction.

The side of the bed 4 adjacent the rack 18 has two recesses 25 and 26,one near each end of the bed, and in each recess is mounted a pawl 27and 28 and having a pivot 29 and 30, the pawls extending away from theirpivots toward the respective ends of the bed. The free ends of the pawlsdrop by gravity, their downward movements being limited by pins 31 inoversized holes 32 in the pawls.

The hub 22 of the gear 23 has attached to it a lever 33 having a tooth34 which extends upwardly into the path of the free ends of the pawls 27and 2%. Oscillation of the lever 33 in one direction or the other will,

cause like oscillation of the shaft 13 and its eccentrics '14 but in theopposite direction and such oscillation of the eccentrics moves theimpression cylinder 8 up or down into either off or on position. This upor down movement of the cylinder 8 is accomplished through the links 16which connect the eccentric sleeves 15 with the vertically slidablebearings 10 in which the cylinder shaft 9 is journaled.

Midway across the machine the shaft 13 is provided with a spring detentand stop which yieldably hold the shaft 13 and its eccentrics 14 ineither of the positions to which they are oscillated. This detentcomprises a hub 35 fixed to the shaft 13 and having a downwardlyextending bifurcated arm 36 between the forks of which a roller 37 ismounted.

Below the shaft 13 a bracket 38 is fixed to the frame 1 which brackethas a vertical cylinder 39 in which is located a plunger 40 thrustupwardly by a spring 41. The upper end of the plunger 40 has a roller42, the upper part of whose periphery is located in the path of theroller 37 and the roller 42 and plunger 40 must be depressed againstaction of the spring 41 as the roller 37 swings from one position to theother. The lower parts of the arm 36 has shoulders 43 which engagecorresponding shoulders 44 on the bracket 38 to limit the movement ofthe arm in either direction, thus holding the shaft 13 and itseccentrics 14 accurately in either of the two positions to which theyare turned.

In normal operation the cylinder 8 is rotated, first to move the bedoutward to the end of the off stroke, Figs. 1 and 6, and then backwardto the end of the on stroke, Fig. 5. At the beginning of the off strokewhich follows a preceding on stroke, Fig. 5, the cylinder 8 is in thelower or on position and the pawl 28 has ridden over the toothed lever33 which is in the on position. But very soon after the beginning of theoff stroke the end of the pawl 28 strikes the tooth 34 and swings thelever 33 to its opposite position which acts through the gears 23 and 24to oscillate the shaft :13 raising the cylinder 8 to the off position asheretofore described. Then during the off stroke the cylinder does notengage the type and near the end of that stroke the pawl 27 rides overand past the lever 33 which is in the o position.

While the type is exposed on the off stroke, it is inked by suitablemeans not shown which forms no part of this invention. Paper is grippedto the cylinder 8 before the beginning of the on stroke by suitablemeans which likewise forms no part of this invention.

The cylinder is then rotated to move the bed inwardly on the on strokeand shortly after the beginning of this stroke the pawl 27 strikes thetooth 34 on the lever 33 and swings it to its opposite or on position inwhich the cylinder is lowered so that the paper upon it will be pressedagainst the type 17 and makes a printing impression.

The foregoing is a description of the normal operation of the proofpress and the mechanism by which it is accomplished. This mechanism issimple and positive in operation. It automatically lifts or lowers thecylinder 8 into off or on positions at the beginning of each off or onstroke of the bed and the parts may be so constructed that the liftingand lowering movements of the cylinder will occur very soon after thebeginning of each respective stroke. It will be understood that the type17 does not extend the full length of the bed 4 so that there is leewayat the beginning of each stroke in which lifting or lowering of thecylinder is not necessary.

In order to make such corrections as may be desired or to stop theprinting impression at any point of movement of the bed the followingdescribed mechanism is provided which coacts with that aforedescribed tolift the cylinder 8 to off position merely by depressing a foot pedal.

Offset from the stud shaft 21 a throw-out shaft 45 extends across themachine and has its opposite ends jour- -naled in the frame 1. At theside of the machine opposite the pawls 27 and 28 the shaft 45 has a gear46 fixed to it. A bar 47 is slidably mounted on the frame 1 and abovethe gear 46 a rack 48 is fixed to the lower side of the bar 47 havingits teeth in mesh with the gear 46. A throw-out lever 49 is attached tothe eccentric shaft 13 extending upwardly therefrom and having a pin 50at its upper end in the path of movement of the rack 48 one end of saidrack engaging the pin 50 when the rack is slid to move the throw-outlever 49 from on to off position.

The sliding bar 47 extends to the left of the machine, looking towardwhich the operator stands to turn the crank 12, and near that end ablock 51 is attached to the lower side of the bar and a spring 52 coiledabout a guide rod 53 is interposed between the block 51 and an endmember of the frame 1. A bell crank having arms 54 and 55 is pivoted tothe frame 1 at 56, the arm 54 having a pin 57 which engages the block 51and the arm 55 is connected by a link 58 to a pedal 59 which ispositioned to be easily reached and depressed by a foot of the operator.

The throw-out shaft 45 has attached to it a lifting cam 60 located inthe same vertical plane as the lever 33 and the pawls 27 and 28. Byturning the shaft 45 this cam 60 may be positioned over a part of theend of the lever 33 so that it will cause the pawl 27 to lift and rideover the tooth 34 preventing movement of the lever 33 from off to onposition at the beginning of the on stroke of the bed 4.

Upon release of the pedal 59 the spring 52 will return the bar 47 to itsnormal position of Fig. 3, rotating the shaft 45 and swinging thelifting cam 60 away from the lever 33 but the detent 3642 will hold theeccentric shaft 13 against movement so that the cylinder 8 will be inraised or off position where it will remain until the bed 4 ha beenreturned to the end of its off stroke, Fig. 6, whereupon, at thebeginning of the on stroke the pawl 27 will strike and move the lever 33to on position.

This mechanism provides simple, etfective, and automatic means,operative during normal operation of the machine, to raise or lower theimpression roller into or out of printing impression at the beginning ofthe respective movements of the type bed. It also provides meansoperative by simply depressing a foot pedal to raise the roller out ofimpression at any part of the printing stroke of the bed and to hold itout of impression until the bed has been moved to start anotherimpression stroke.

The invention is to be considered as comprehensive of all forms ofmechanism coming within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a proof press having a frame, a type carrying bed reciprocablymounted on said frame, an impression cylinder rotatably mounted on saidframe and movable toward and away from said bed, and means rotating saidcylinder and reciprocating said bed in unison, the improvementcomprising cylinder moving means positionable into two positions, saidcylinder moving means being actuable responsive to normal reciprocationof said bed and being effective thereby to move said cylinder away fromsaid bed at the beginning of movement of said bed in one stroke of itsreciprocation and to move said cylinder toward said bed at the beginningof movement of said 'bed in the other stroke of its reciprocation, andmanually operable means on said frame for moving said cylinder away fromsaid bed at any point of said other stroke, said manually operable meansincluding means effective to position said cylinder moving means intoone of its two positions to maintain said cylinder away from said bedwhile permitting free reciprocation of said bed.

2. The device of claim 1, in which said bed comprises members forengaging said cylinder moving means upon reciprocation of said bed, andsaid manually operable means includes means for preventing one of saidmembers from engaging said cylinder moving means.

3. The device of claim 1, in which said cylinder moving means include alever rockable between two extreme positions, said lever having a toothformed thereon, a pawl mounted on each end of said bed, one of saidpawls being operative to engage said tooth to push said lever into oneof its extreme positions, and the other of said pawls being operative toengage said tooth to push said lever into its other extreme position;and in which said manually operable means include a cam which can bemoved into the path of one of said pawls in such a manner as to preventit from engaging said tooth.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,181,581 Droitcour May 2, 1916 1,380,469 Droitcour June 7, 19211,638,544 Morse Aug. 9, 1927 1,806,591 Allen May 26, 1931 2,162,816 Leeet a1. June 20, 1939

